EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY Edition No 20 - August 2020 - Free Distribution Occupational diseases associated with the mining sector place the communities more vulnerable to COVID-19 - Over 70% of the surveyed workers living in the communities suffer from respiratory diseases. Rui Mate and Inocência Mapisse SUMMARY The extractive sector has been seen as an important factor in boosting the economy of several countries with natural resources and Mozambique is no exception. This sector grew as the percentage of GDP presented 10 percent growth between 2006 and 2019. In the first quarter of 2020, this sector was responsible for 1,189 new jobs, corresponding to 2.1% of the total jobs generated in that period1. Despite its great potential and considerable growth, the mining sector is considered as a sector in which occupational diseases occur frequently, especially diseases related to the respiratory condition, which places its workers in the group with the highest risk of contamination by COVID-19, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)2. By 2014, the mining sector employed 37,346 workers, of which 32,777 (87.8%) were local workers, 261 (0.7%) workers from other regions of the country and 4,308 (11.5%) foreign workers3. CIP carried out a study, which involved 52 workers, 17 of whom were women, and 102 families, 47 of whom were headed by women, living around the mining companies in 4 provinces, namely Inhambane (Vulanjane and Manisse stone mines), Tete (Vale Moçambique coal mines), Nampula (Kenmare heavy sands) and Cabo Delgado (Montepuez Ruby Mining ruby exploitation). The results of this study show that 40 of the interviewed workers, corresponding to 77%, suffer from some respiratory illness and 27 of these workers, corresponding to 68%, contracted the illness while working in mining. More than half (53%) receive some medical assistance from the employing company. A total of 33% of the surveyed families reported the existence of respiratory diseases within the family and these were diagnosed years after the installation of mining companies in the region. Cough represents the greatest problem (18%) of the respiratory diseases that most affect families, followed by tuberculosis (12%). 1 http://www.mitess.gov.mz/sites/default/files/documents/files/Boletim%20Informativo%20do%20Mercado%20do%20%20Trabalho%20I%20trimes- tre%202020_0.pdf accessed on 19/07/2020 2 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov- %2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fspecific-groups%2Fhigh-risk-complications.html accessed on 20/07/2020 3 https://eiti.org/files/documents/2013-2014_mozambique_eiti_report_portugese.pdf accessed on 19/07/2020 (more recent data with this level of detail were not found) In case of doubts, suggestions and questions related to this note, contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Despite the existence of a regulatory framework on the subject, both companies and the government have been neglecting the issue of occupational diseases, especially those related to the mining sector in the country, which is visible both by the fall in resources for investment in the health sector in general (percentage of investment expenditure in the period from 2014 to 2019) and by the lack of detailed information on concrete actions in this area. It should be noted that the provinces that host mining projects are those that present the greatest risk of contamination of COVID-19. Thus, CIP in general recommends that the Government provide efficient and effective conditions to mitigate the effects of hitherto neglected occupational diseases that can be a risk factor for the communities hosting mining projects. 1. Context and Rationale The extractive sector has been seen as an important factor in boosting the economy of several countries with natural resources and Mozambique is no exception. According to Ollivier et al. (2009)4 the endowment of natural capital5 in Mozambique represents 49% of the country’s total wealth, well above 24% of the average for sub-Saharan Africa, and is mostly made up of mineral resources representing around 41%. The sector has grown considerably over the last 14 years, from 1% of GDP in 2006 to 11% of GDP in 2019, an increase of 10 percent.6 Despite the great potential and considerable growth, the mining sector is regarded as one in which occu- pational diseases occur most frequently, mainly respiratory diseases7. The International Labour Organization (ILO)8 points out that despite considerable efforts in many countries, death, injury and disease rates among the world’s miners remain high and mining remains the most dangerous occupation when one looks at the number of people exposed to risk. The risks from mining, combined with the lack of mechanisms to mitigate them, may constitute an increased risk of contamination by coronavirus. WHO data indicate that by 7 August 2020 the disease had affected 18,902,735 people worldwide and had caused the death of at least 709,511 people (3.75% of those infected)9. In the same period, the Mozambican Ministry of Health (MISAU) pointed out the existence of 2,213 infected people and 15 deaths since its outbreak10. Of the cases in the country, some of the biggest occurrences are in the provinces where mining projects are located, namely Cabo Delgado and Nam- pula. In relation to the total number of cases reported in Mozambique, by 15 July 2020, Maputo Province and City led with 41% of the total number of cases, followed by Cabo Delgado with 23% and Nampula with 20%. Tete and Inhambane Provinces had 2% of cases respectively. In Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Inhambane and Tete Provinces the largest mining projects in the country are concentrated: Rubis exploration by Montepuez Ruby Mining and Twigg in Cabo Delgado, gemstone ex- ploration by Kenmare Moma Mining and Haiyu Mining Co Lda in Nampula, coal exploration by Vale and ICVL Zambeze in Tete and, Rio Tinto and Savannah Resources in Inhambane. 4 http://www.biofund.org.mz/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1548327734-AFD_Full_Report_Natural_Resources_Envi_and_Sustainable_Growth_in_ Moz_02.2009.pdf accessed on 15/07/2020 5 Part of a nation’s wealth, consisting of natural resources (renewable and non-renewable) such as air, plants, animals, water, soils, minerals. 6 http://www.ine.gov.mz/estatisticas/estatisticas-economicas/contas-nacionais/anuais-1/pib-na-optica-de-producao/pib-na-optica-de-producao-2020/ view accessed on 15/07/2020 7 https://www.caicc.org.mz/cd/guia/documentos/21_Exploracao%20mineira%20e%20saude.pdf accessed on 15/07/2020 8 https://www.ilo.org/global/industries-and-sectors/mining/lang--en/index.htm accessed on 27/07/2020 9 onhttps://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200807-covid-19-sitrep-200.pdf?sfvrsn=2799bc0f_2 accessed on 08/08/2020 10 http://www.misau.gov.mz/index.php/covid-19-boletins-diarios accessed on 08/08/2020 According to studies developed by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)11, on the one hand, the higher risk factors associated with COVID-19 are old age and serious chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and lung diseases. On the other hand, studies by Algranti (1991), Nilsson & Randhem (2008), Turner & Blackie (2018) and Osewe & Nkrumah (2018) on occupational diseases in the mining sector, point out that workers in this sector, and com- munities living around mining projects, tend to develop diseases associated with the respiratory system. Therefore, this fact places workers in this sector and communities near mining areas more susceptible to contamination by COVID-19. In this context, this study aims to analyze the situation of communities around mining projects with regard to occupational diseases caused by mining, as well as the main challenges faced in times of COVID-19. Thus, based on the results of the study, a set of recommendations has been produced which could contribute to the mitigation and prevention of the risks of diseases caused by mining, particularly in the current context. 2. Methodology In order to prepare this research, bibliographic review was used to support the theory on the diseases caused by mining and how they affect workers and communities around mining projects. Similarly, data were collected on the situation of diseases caused by mining in some districts of the country that host projects in this area, through exploratory research using data from primary and secondary sources obtained through bibliographic research and questionnaires to key stake- holders. The exploratory survey consisted of the administration of surveys of 52 workers, of which 17 are women, and 102 families, of which 47 are headed by women, who live around the mining companies in 4 provinces, namely Inhambane (Vulanjane and Manisse stone mines), Tete (Vale Moçambique coal mines), Nampula (Kenmare heavy sands) and Cabo Delgado (Montepuez Ruby Mining ruby exploitation). The sample initially defined was 968 workers, randomly selected, representing 10% of the universe of workers from the selected companies, 70% of which would be from Vale12, 15% Kenmare13, 14% Montepuez Ruby Mining14 and 1% stone mines of Vulanjane and Manisse. However, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work in the field has only managed to survey 52 workers and 102 families. The choice of compa- nies was based on their representativeness in the mining sector within the selected provinces. To strengthen the analysis on the mechanisms used to mitigate the impact of diseases caused by mining, in addition to reviewing existing legislation, representatives of Kenmare and Vale Mozambique companies involved in mining in two of the four provinces above were interviewed. It should be noted that it was not possible to carry out interviews at Mon- tepuez Rubi Mining because it was closed due to the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic15.